I did a little tour of some of the popular places in Ilocos Sur where people usually flock during Sabado Gloria (Black Saturday). Here are some photos I took at Suso Beach in Santa Maria, Paraiso ni Juan in Santa, Vigan City and Sulvec in Narvacan. It is a tradition in the Philippines for people to go to the beach and have picnics the day after Good Friday. It is a day for families to get together. Actually, it is not only by the beach where people go during Saturday de Gloria but anywhere where there is a body of water that is good enough for swimming. Another popular place is by the river. However, the Catholic church in the Philippines want this tradition to be done on Easter Sunday instead of Black Saturday for it is a day when Jesus was still lying in the tomb. Sabado de Gloria is one of my favorite time of the year in the Philippines for it is when I get a chance to bond with my friends, relatives and family.

Santa Cruz has a nice public market. It is a well planned market with the different departments placed in the right places and it is very spacious with lots of parking. Our public market in Tagudin is very small for a town like ours. Tagudin has a big population and unfortunately our town is running out of space. Perhaps the town could revive the satellite market in Bitalag?

The Santa Lucia church is one of the most beautiful churches in the province of Ilocos Sur. It is the only church in Ilocos Sur with a dome. Its belfry is four stories high. Along with the more popular St. Catherine Church that houses the statue of the Blessed Virgin (Our Lady of Namacpacan) in the nearby town of Luna in La Union, this church is also being visited by pilgrims all year round but to a lesser degree. The Santa Lucia church is known for the statue of Saint Lucy which they called here as the Dark Virgin of Santa Lucia. The Dark Virgin of Santa Lucia is believed to be miraculous especially for those people with failing eyesight. The church which is called Saint Lucy The Martyr Church was established in 1586 and the image of the St. Lucy was introduced to the church in the second half of the 18th century. The church is located in front of the town’s plaza along the National Highway across the Santa Lucia Municipal Hall. I pass by the church all the time when I go north to Candon and Vigan but I never paid attention to the church. It was only recently that I came to realize how beautiful this church is so this Easter week of 2016, I decided to go and visit the church. Santa Lucia is a quiet little provincial town and it is classified as a third class municipality in the Philippines but its church is something that you may want to see on your way to Vigan. The town of Santa Lucia is only around 20 minutes away by car or bus from Tagudin and about an hour from Vigan.

Saint Lucy, Italian Santa Lucia (died 304, Syracuse, Sicily; feast day December 13), virgin and martyr who was one of the earliest Christian saints to achieve popularity, having a widespread following before the 5th century. She is the patron saint of the city of Syracuse (Sicily). Because of various traditions associating her name with light, she came to be thought of as the patron of sight and was depicted by medieval artists carrying a dish containing her eyes.

According to apocryphal texts, Lucy came from a wealthy Sicilian family. Spurning marriage and worldly goods, however, she vowed to remain a virgin in the tradition of St. Agatha. An angry suitor reported her to the local Roman authorities, who sentenced her to be removed to a brothel and forced into prostitution. This order was thwarted, according to legend, by divine intervention; Lucy became immovable and could not be carried away. She was next condemned to death by fire, but she proved impervious to the flames. Finally, her neck was pierced by a sword and she died.

In actuality, Lucy was probably a victim of the wave of persecution of Christians that occurred late in the reign of the Roman emperor Diocletian. References to her are found in early Roman sacramentaries and, at Syracuse, in an inscription dating from 400 ce. As evidence of her early fame, two churches are known to have been dedicated to her in Britain before the 8th century, at a time when the land was largely pagan.

One of the patron saints of virgins, St. Lucy is venerated on her feast day, December 13, by a variety of ceremonies. In Sweden, St. Lucia’s Day marks the beginning of the Christmas celebration. On that day the eldest daughter of the family traditionally dresses in a white robe and wears as a crown an evergreen wreath studded with candles.

The house of VP Jejomar Binay is a big contrast to the house of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte in Davao as you see in the previous post below. We see two different lifestyles here through these homes of the two wannabe candidates for the Philippine presidency. No doubt though that the house of Binay is beautiful. He has good taste.
Click on the photos to enlarge the photos.

Beautiful ‘Binay house’ goes viral
FEATURED ON A CORPORATE WEBSITE, THE MODERN HOME, DESIGNED LIKE A PRIVATE ART GALLERY, IS TASTEFULLY DONE. IS IT REALLY THAT OF THE YOUNG BINAY COUPLE?
Philippine Daily Inquirer
12:30 AM March 9th, 2016

High ceiling in the living and dining areas in this image is even more noticeable because of the low sectional couch, coffee table and dinner bench

Images of a beautiful modern home featuring high ceilings, generous use of wood and glass, and exquisite lighting have been doing the rounds of the Internet recently, featured on such sites as pinoytrendingnews.com and antipolitics.apphb.com.
Here’s the clincher: The house, according to the accompanying text, was featured on the alleged website of TELCS Lighting Design and Consultancy, with addresses on Lockhart Road, Hong Kong, and Alabang-Zapote Road in Muntinlupa, and was reported to belong to “politician couple” Luis and Abigail Binay-Campos.
The images have since been removed from the website, but not before netizens managed to save them, of course. A meme has already circulated, featuring the words “Bahay Binay: Mamatay kayo sa inggit.”
The images show several angles of the home, featuring sleek lines, neutral colors and a number of artworks.
It was described as a 375-square-meter, two-story “modern-contemporary inspired design residence,” located in San Lorenzo Village, Makati City, with a high-ceiling living room and a mezzanine.
Masterpieces by HR Ocampo and Ang Kiukok dominate a wall on the second floor in this image posted online of the house reportedly owned by Luis and Abigail Binay-Campos.

Masterpieces by HR Ocampo and Ang Kiukok dominate a wall on the second floor in this image posted online of the house reportedly owned by Luis and Abigail Binay-Campos.

The images show a truly stylish home, with well-selected artworks.
TELCS described using “custom-made suspended fixtures… for a more cozy effect.” Other devices used were “track lighting to achieve a flexible high-lighting of the big paintings and a welcoming art piece,” a slab ceiling to conceal wiring, and Eltako, a state-of-the-art wireless remote dimming system.
The house was also described as “a private art gallery,” thus the “lighting masterpiece of the fine-tuned interior.”
For the very high-ceiling living room, droplights, ceiling lights, wallwashers and tracklights were used, enough to create “a soft glow for a romantic evening.”
Limited-edition droplights by designer Kenneth Cobonpue were also mentioned as a design highlight.
In itself, there’s no denying that the house is a tastefully done design marvel—whoever it belongs to.
High ceiling in the living and dining areas in this image is even more noticeable because of the low sectional couch, coffee table and dinner bench

In preparation for the Tagudin High School Centennial anniversary sometime this year, I want to share an old photo of Tagudin High School Class of 1948-49. This is a copy of the original photo that was given to me a few years ago by Manang Romana from the Dauz family who is also an alumnus of Tagudin High School. The photo was taken at the Gabaldon Building in Barangay Del Pilar where Tagudin High School was located before it was moved to the present location along the National Highway. Gabaldon is now Central Elementary School.

Perhaps some of you might know and remember some of the folks here in this photo. My late mother Manuela “Nelly” Dauz Valdez which I miss so much belonged to this class. She is in the 3rd row, the third person from the left. For those of you who know the late Tang Lustring Batac of Magsaysay/Quirino, I believe he is the 4th person from the left in the last row at the top. The late Mrs. Remedios “Miding” Mina of Barangay Rizal, one of my former teachers in elementary school is also in this picture. I think she is the fourth person from the left in the second row. I am sure many of us can recognize one of the teachers here, the late Ms. Juanita V. Lardizabal, 2rd person from the left, first row. Ms. Lardizabal taught and was a principal at Tagudin High for a long time.

Thank you once again Manang Romana for this precious photo if you happen to come across this post.

Happy Centennial to all Tagudin High School/TGCHS Alumni.

More power to all of you.

Tagudin High School Class of 1948-49
taken at the old Gabaldon building in Barangay Del Pilar, Tagudin, Ilocos SurPlease click on the photo to enlarge.

Thank you Larry for the picture. The THS Core team in the US just had a meeting yesterday in Southern California as we continue to prepare for the centennial celebration of the Tagudin High School this coming July 8-10, at The Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas Nevada. We will be posting announcements soon. Thanks again and we miss you! Romana might be attending. Take care our ading Larry.

Thank you manang Femia for the update. I am glad that the Tagudin High Centennial Celebrations will push through this July in Las Vegas. It is good to hear that manang Romana might be able to attend. Miss ya all too.